Nine days a week

Posted on Jun 12, 2019 by

Another collection of pictures from the National Centre for Craft and Design in Sleaford, Lincolnshire.

This time it is Nine days a week by Jane McKeating, a project based on found handkerchiefs, using a mixture of fibres and pigments.

Posted in Textiles | Tagged | Leave a comment

The history of knitting

Posted on Jun 5, 2019 by

This post gives an excellent summary of the history of hand knitting.

As you would expect from the V&A. One of my favourite London haunts.

Posted in Textiles | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Crayon colours

Posted on Jun 4, 2019 by

Image | Posted on Jun 4, 2019 by | Tagged | Leave a comment

Hand in hand: The artistic and spiritual life of Dame Werburg Welch

Posted on May 31, 2019 by

If you get the chance, I can really recommend a trip to Ushaw, near Durham, to see this exhibition of church vestments, decorated with bands embroidered and woven by nuns under the supervision of Dame Werburg Welch (1894-1990).

You can really see the influence of William Blake and Eric Gill in these fabulous pieces of textile art. If you can’t make it before 29th June, at least have a look at the web page, which has pictures and a video.

Unfortunately, they don’t allow photos, so I was limited to sketching. The best bits were the simple saints and angels, some in repeat patterns. As I’m not very good at sketching people, I’ll leave you to look at the originals…

Posted in Textiles | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Rolling out a carpet for hope

Posted on May 30, 2019 by

Here is more from the National Centre for Craft and Design in Sleaford, Lincolnshire.

This installation by Sian Martin was inspired by a project to re-hydrate the desert in Africa, where they plant a corridor of saplings to draw water to the surface and stop the desert encroaching more. The story of the change is told here using dyed cane and wire, silk and scrim fabrics, and acrylic sheets.

 

Posted in Textiles | Tagged | Leave a comment

Fused glass

Posted on May 28, 2019 by

Here are a couple of works in fused glass caught my eye when I was at the National Centre for Craft and Design in Sleaford, Lincolnshire.

I went to see the textile exhibitions, but these little gems just need sharing.

It is amazing what you can achieve with small rectangles of glass.

One was a series of small works, made in a workshop in 2013 at the centre, wired together to make a hanging.

The other was a collection inspired by bees, inspired by the current problems with the pollenating insects population.

Posted in Textiles | Tagged | Leave a comment

Exhibition of ecclesiastical textiles

Posted on May 23, 2019 by

At some point fairly soon, I’m off to see this exhibition  about Dame Werburg Welch‘s work. It is on until 29th June 2019 in Durham, so if you get there first, let me know what you think…

Posted in Textiles | Tagged , | Leave a comment

When waves collide

Posted on May 22, 2019 by

Today’s post is another collection of pictures from my trip to the National Centre for Craft and Design in Sleaford, Lincolnshire.

This represents most of a room full of woven hangings on the theme When waves collide, hand woven in cotton by Theo Wright.

It shows the different effects that can be gained by varying the colours, and making slight changes in the interpretation, while still creating a coherent collection of work.

Posted in Textiles | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The four riders

Posted on May 16, 2019 by

Here is an interpretation by Dutch textile artist Flox den Hartog Jager of  the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, using cotton, organza, cotton and silk threadfs, inks and dye.

It is on display at the National Centre for Craft and Design in Sleaford, Lincolnshire.

Posted in Textiles | Tagged | Leave a comment

City skins

Posted on May 14, 2019 by

Here are some more pictures from my visit to the National Centre for Craft and Design in Sleaford, Lincolnshire. This time it is Eszter Bornemisza’s City Skins.

From a distance, it looks a bit like a kimono. It is made from newspaper, synthetic organza, silk floss, and plexiglass tubes.

Posted in Techniques | Tagged | Leave a comment